Apparatus for dispensing sheet material



Sept 3% M58 E. .2. HQWLETT 3 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 28, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sepia 12958 E. J. HQWLETT 2,54 3% APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL.

Filed Sept. 28. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LNVENTOR EDWARD J. HOWLETT ATTORNEY Unite States APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Edward John Howlett, London, England Application September 28, 1956, Serial No. 612,660

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 4, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 31238) This invention relates to improved apparatus for dis pensing sheet material, such as towelling, from a continuous rolled web, said apparatus being of the kind including a cabinet enclosing an assembly of parallel rolls and mechanism for enabling the web to be delivered outside the cabinet, length by length, by a succession of pulls on the web by the users, the arrangement being such that the delivery roll of the assembly is automatically locked and then released after each set length has been pulled. The delivery roll constitutes a measuring roll or, as sometimes described, a metering roll, because the amount of rotation permitted prior to locking determines the set length of clean towelling issued for each pull on the towel. The apparatus provides that each user will obtain a clean length of the web which is looped outside the cabinet, and the assembly of rolls includes a take-up roll around which the soiled portion of towelling is drawn back into the cabinet after each operation. The take-up roll is frictionally driven by reason of the roll of soiled web resting on a rough-surfaced takeup drive roll which in turn is driven by means such as chain-and-sprocket from the measuring roll. The foregoing construction is referred to herein as the kind described.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve the construction of apparatus of the kind described, and in particular to ensure that the take-up roll of soiled towelling rides smoothly on the take-up drive roll without jumping about. In many constructions the take-up roll is prone to do this especially when only a short length of soiled towelling has been wound on it at the commencement of its winding, and the consequence is that the length rolled on to it may vary considerably in relation to the length metered out by the measuring roll, and thus the loop depending from the apparatus will not remain as uniform as can be desired. A further object is to facilitate the opening of the cabinet door and to retain it in its open position (to remove the full soiled towelling roll and insert an empty one) and also to facilitate the insertion of the empty roll.

According to the invention the main feature resides in the fact that the take-up roll is provided with means for resiliently pressing it on to the take-up drive roll. In so modifying the apparatus the said means is preferably utilised for assisting the opening movement of the cabinet lid and for maintaining it in the open position. Other constructional improvements flowing from the main feature of the invention will be described in connection with a particular embodiment.

In order that the said invention may be readily understood an embodiment thereof will be described by way of example with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section illustrating a cabinet according to said embodiment, and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of part thereof.

2,854,304 Patented Sept. 30, 1958 In general the apparatus comprises a cabinet having an upper door 1 pivoted at 2, a lower door 3 pivoted at 4, and a plate 5 on each side between which a series of parallel rolls are mounted. These rolls include a delivery roll 6 (sometimes referred to as a measuring roll), a pinch roll 7 carried at each end by a lever 8 pivoted at 9 to the side plate 5, a take-up driving roll 10 frictionally driving the take-up roll 11, and a feed roll 12. The latter is simply a roll of clean towelling loosely running in the well of the cabinet. The towelling is led from the roll 12 upwards on to the periphery of the delivery roll 6 between the nip of the pinch roll 7 with the same, then out through a slot in the front of the apparatus to form a loop 13 which is returned into the cabinet on to the take-up roll 11. As the loop 13 is pulled on the front (i. e. the left of the drawing) it rotates the delivery roll one revolution before the latter is locked in any suitable manner, and subsequently unlocked for a further pull. The delivery roll 6 drives the take-up drive roll it through a chain 14, and roll 10 drives the take-up roll 11 by frictional engagement with the soiled towelling thereon. No claim is made herein to the foregoing arrangement per se.

The ends of the take-up roll 11 (or pivot pins axially projecting therefrom) are each journalled in a guideway formed as an open-topped slot 15 made in the fixed side plates 5 secured within the cabinet. This permits the roll 11 to ride up and down as required. On each side plate 5 there is pivoted a pressure arm 16 which either pivotally carries the said roll end or pivot pin or merely rests and presses thereon as illustrated. The arm 16 is pivoted at 17 by one end to the side plate 5 towards the rear of the cabinet and extends forward where its free end engages the end of the take-up roll 11 in the manner described. It is spring-pressed downwards in the manner hereinafter described.

The upper door 1 of the cabinet is partly curved so as to hinge across the top of the cabinet at or near the back thereof at 2, cover the open top, and depend down so as normally to cover also the open front as shown in full lines. A lug 18 is formed on the door, at each side near the hinge 2 so as to lie at right-angles to the plane of the door against or near the respective side walls 5 of the cabinet on the inside. The arrangement is such that on lifting the door as in the broken-line position the said lugs 18 swing upwardly.

Between each of such door lugs 18 and the respective pressure arm 16 on the same side there is connected a link 19 around which is encircled a compression spring 29. The link is pivoted to the lug 18 and passes slidably through a swivel stud 21 on the arm 16. The spring 20 constantly exerts pressure on the pressure arm and thus on the take-up roll 11. It also applies force upwards on the lug 18 of the upper cabinet door 1. On opening the door, the lugs 18 rise and their respective compression springs still pushing upwards assist the opening action and hold the door in the open position when the top of the link 19 passes dead centre.

The aforesaid open-topped slots 15 in the side plates 5 are curved, preferably to an arc centered on the respective pivots 17 of the pressure arms 16, and the convexity of the rear edge 22 of the curve assists the work of the pressure arms 16 in preventing jump or bounce of the take-up roll 11. At the open top or mouth of the curved slots 15 in the side plates 5, the said rear edge 22 (i. e. the one nearer the pivot 17) may be higher at its corner than the front inner edge as at 23 which will facilitate insertion of the take-up roll. The pressure arms 16 may be so arranged that in their elevated position (door open) as shown in broken lines their respective free ends are inclined above the open tops or months of the respective slots 15 in the side plate forming a guide mouth for the end of the take-up roll 11 as it is pushed forward into the slot.

I claim;

"I i 1.. Apparatus for dispensing "sheet material from a continuous rolled web comprising in combination a cabinet containing an assembly of parallel rolls mounted betweenv side plates, including a delivery roll, a take-up roll on which soiled web is wound, and a take-up drive roll, mechanism for enabling the web to be delivered outside the cabinet, length by length, by a succession of pulls on. the web, rneans for automatically locking and then releasing the delivery roll after each pull, :a driving connection' between the delivery and take-up drive rolls, open-topped arcuate slots in the side plates in which the ends of the take-up roll are journalled so as to rise as the soiled web is wound, a pressure arm pivoted on each side plate to press on an end of the take-up roll, a door hinged to the top of the cabinet near the back thereof so as normally to cover the top and part of the front, a link at each side of the cabinet pivoted to the door near the hinge thereof andpivotally connected to one of the pressure arms, and a spring carried by each link so as t'o exert pressure on the associated pressure arm as the latter moves upward with the take-up roll. 7

2. Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a continuous rolled web comprising in combination a cabinet containing an assembly of parallel rolls mounted between side plates, including a delivery roll, a take-up roll on which soiled Web is wound, and a take-up drive roll, mechanism for enabling the web to be delivered outside the cabinet, length by length, by a succession of pulls on the web, means for automatically locking and then releasing the delivery roll after each pull, a driving connection between the delivery and take-up drive rolls, open-topped arcuate slots in the side plates in which the ends ,of the take-up roll are journalled so as to rise as the soiled Web is Wound, a pressure arm pivoted on each side plate to press on an end of the take-up roll, a door hinged to the top of the cabinet near the back thereof so as normally to cover the top and part of the front, a link at each side of the cabinet pivoted to the door near the hinge thereof and pivotally connected to one of the pressure arms, and a spring carried by each link so as,

to exert pressure on the associated pressure arm as the latter moves upward with the take-up roll, said opentopped slots in which the ends of the take-up rolls are journalled being curved substantially on anarc centered on the pivots of the pressure arms.

3. Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a continuous rolled web comprising in combination a cabinet containing an assembly of parallel rolls mounted between side plates, including a delivery roll, a take-up roll on which soiled web is wound, and a take-up drive roll, mechanism for enabling the web to be delivered outside the cabinet, length by length, by a succession of pulls on the web, means for automatically locking. and then releasing the delivery rollafter each pull, a driving connection between the delivery and take-up drive rolls, open-topped arcuate slots in the side platesin which the ends of the take-up :roll are journalled so as to rise as the soiled web is wound, a pressure arm pivoted on each side plate to press on an end of the take-up roll, a door hinged to the top of the cabinet near the back thereof so as normally to cover the top and part of the front, a linkat each side of the cabinet pivoted to the door near the hinge thereof and pivotally connected to one of the pressurearms, and a spring carried by each link so as to exert pressure on the associated pressure arm as the latter moves upwardfiwith the take-up roll, said opentopped slots in which the ends. of the take-up rolls are journalled being curved substantially on an are centered on the pivots of the pressure arms, each arcuate slot having the rear edge of its mouth (the edge near the pivot of the associated pressure arm) higher than the front edge to facilitate insertion of the take-up roll.' 7

4. Apparatus for dispensing sheet material according to claim 3 in which the pressure arms are so arranged that in their elevated position (door open) their respective free ends areinclined above the mouths of the opentopped slots to formguides for the ends of the take-up roll when it is fitted in the apparatus.

References Cited in the file, of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 945,669 Allen Jan. 4,1910 1,736,140 Steiner et al. Nov. 19, 1929 1,746,293 Steiner Feb. 11, 1930 1,756,822 Hails Apr. 29, 1930 2,202,930 I Steiner June 4, 1940 

